LOS ANGELES (420CanNews) — From impish mugging for Hollywood cameras to selling handmade weed ashtrays, actor, writer, and comedian Seth Rogen has transformed his stoner personality into movie and merchandise gold, with everything from hit marijuana-laced films to polka-dotted ceramic roach holders.
Always the happy ne’er-do-well floating on a cannabis cloud, Rogen has dissected, rebuilt, and served up versions of that iconic stoner character as a successful solo actor and part of the powerhouse writing duo of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldman. As an actor and writer, Rogen has been in multiple Hollywood hits playing loveable stoners, including characters in “Knocked Up” (2007), “Pineapple Express” (2008), and “Neighbors” (2014).
However, Rogen has recently transformed his public image into a legitimate, two-pronged business, selling marijuana and home goods related to 420 lifestyles. Capitalizing on his almost naive stoner persona, he explained the two seemingly separate endeavors as “house” for the home goods business and “plant” for the recreational weed side. The result: “Seth Rogen Houseplant,” a brand that ranked No. 2 in a recent list of top-grossing celebrity cannabis brands, according to MJBizDaily.
In marketing his brand, Rogen oozes Rogen. During a 2021 interview on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, Rogen said he named his weed strains after atmospheric conditions, such as Diablo Wind, Fire Rainbow, and Pink Moon. He told Kimmel, “There was a point I was embarrassed at how much thought I put into weed. But I’ve embraced it.”
Life as an On-Screen Stoner
Rogen’s formidable public platform had unconventional beginnings. An unlikely movie star, Rogen started in secondary parts in TV’s “Freaks and Geeks” (1999) and eventually filmed blockbusters like “40-Year-Old Virgin” (2005). The director of those projects, Judd Apatow, saw something magical in the oddball actor, ultimately boosting Rogen’s career by casting him as a bumbling lead in “Knocked Up.” The momentum later led Apatow to bank on the team of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldman, with Apatow producing their hit film, “Superbad” (2007).
By 2011, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldman founded Point Grey Pictures, which would go on to produce movies such as “The Interview” (2014), “The Disaster Artist” (2017), and “Blockers” (2018). Their sadistic and overtly sexual proclivities also led Point Grey to produce the raunchy, R-rated animated feature “Sausage Party” (2016).
Beyond an engaging affinity to the weed, Rogen’s secret weapon appears to be what Time magazine calls “a sweet, unthreatening geniality,” dubbing him “the stoner king of comedy.”
Cashing in on Personality
In his goofy, laughter-laced style, Rogen described his weed and home goods business, Houseplant, as a melding of the things he loves most. He told Forbes in 2021, “I love weed, and I love art and design. Houseplant is the combination of these passions,” Rogen said.
With his concept originating in an actual home, he imagined the handmade items—ranging from “All-in-One” rolling trays to vinyl records with songs about weed—fitting into an environment that supported today’s hip 420 lifestyles.
On the weed side of the business, Houseplant partnered with five unnamed indoor growers. The company worked with Greater Holdings to advise Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg on selecting growers that tested products for quality, consistency, and safety.
In terms of the brand’s public-facing, Houseplant mirrors the personal styles of both Seth Rogen and Evan Goldman, their Houseplant colleagues said. “More than being celebrities, they, out of everyone on our team, have the most intimate understanding of the cannabis consumer. They know the product better than anyone else—they live that lifestyle,” Houseplant’s Chief Commercial Officer Haneen Davies told Forbes.
“People always ask them, ‘What do you pair your cannabis with?’ and the answer is that it’s not just a moment in time for them or an occasion. It’s their life. Productivity, creativity, relaxation, sleep—cannabis is integrated into all of it.”
Into the Weeds: Houseplant’s Best Cannabis Strains
As described by Forbes, here are a few of the weather-inspired marijuana strains from Houseplant:
- Diablo Wind
Sativa-dominant with high Terpinolene and Caryophyllene terpenes. It has a THC level of 26.29% and resembles a Jack Herer and G13 Haze blend.
Diablo Wind is a wonderful Sativa that potheads look forward to smoking every day, despite its name’s apparent demonic connotations. It’s powerful and has a reputation for promoting mental clarity.
- Pancake Ice
A “gassy” Sativa that blends Chem Dawg and Mandarin Cookies cultivars. The THC level is 33.32%, with Limonene, Humulene, and Caryophyllene terpenes dominating. A Houseplant sativa-like Pancake Ice is excellent for boosting creativity, playing video stoner games, or hiking in the woods.
- Pink Moon
A “citrusy” Indica that blends Tangie and Kosher Kush with 26.45% THC, Limonene Caryophyllene, and Linalool terpenes. It provides a slight sedative effect that allows potheads to unwind with friends and help shake off the day before drifting into a peaceful slumber.
The major aroma produced by the Pink Moon strain is chestnut, but it also has fruity undertones of lemon, peach, and berry. The terpenes myrcene, limonene, and caryophyllene also add to the strain’s various tastes and smells.
Not the Last Celebrity Brand
While Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are seeing success in branding marijuana products, they won’t be the last celebrities to do so. Up-and-coming celebrity cannabis brands are emerging with fresh names like Heavy Metal Cannabis, Rick Ross’ Collins Avenue, Inspectah Deck’s Coyote Cannabis, and Hulk Hogan’s Hulkmania CBD.
As mentioned, the Seth Rogen Houseplant brand came in second on an MJBizJournal monthly sales ranking, with $377,193 for June 2023. The No. 1-selling brand was Cann Social Tonics, backed by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Rebel Wilson, Ruby Rose, Darren Criss, Baron Davis, Tove Lo, Casey Neistat, and Bre-Z. The Cann Social Tonics brand delivered $751,760 in monthly sales this past June.
Other brands following the two leaders include Mike Tyson’s Tyson 2.0, Wiz Khalifa’s KKE, Santana’s Mirayo by Santana, Bella Thorne’s Forbidden Flowers, and Jerry Garcia’s Garcia Hand Picked.
The future of marijuana branding could be tied to celebrities and their penchant for weed, but Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are forging a path all their own.
Weed in the Movies
Speaking of stoners, their short attention spans mean that discussion on one good topic often drifts into another. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg created the No. 3 best stoner movie of all time with “Pineapple Express,” according to Rolling Stone. Here are the other top 420 movies based on the magazine’s 2020 ranking:
No. 10: “True Romance” (1993)
While the movie is about a couple running from the mafia, Brad Pitt plays a standout supporting role as a burnout stoner known mostly for sitting on a couch.
No. 9: “Soul Plane” (2004)
Snoop Dogg has a tour de force as Captain Antione Mack. During the flight, he falls out, and the crew wonders if he’s “Wilt Chamberlain dead” or just “Tupac dead.”
No. 8: “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” (1989)
A Keanu Reeves classic turn as a stoner made people think his acting method was his glassy-eyed stare. Along with his time-traveling buddy, Reeves meets any number of historical characters. And who doesn’t pronounce Socrates “So-crates”?
No. 7: “Friday” (1995)
A buddy comedy about weed dealers starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, where Tucker offers sage advice on inhaling: “Puff, puff, give.”
No. 6: “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” (2004)
Two stoners on a journey to find the best burger is the thinly veiled plot behind the classic weed flick that asks the immortal question: “Dude, didn’t we come here on a cheetah?”
No. 5: “How High” (2001)
Method Man and Redman attend college in this “higher” education comedy. Their secret ingredient is using a dead friend’s ashes to fertilize their weed crop.
No. 4: “Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie” (1980)
The second film in a trilogy that includes “Up In Smoke” (1978) and “Nice Dreams” (1981), the iconic pair of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong muddle through life in search of the best high. The movie’s immortal line: “If you had a second brain, it would die of loneliness, man.”
No. 3: “Pineapple Express” (2008)
Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the chaotic cat-and-mouse film places average guy Seth Rogen and his marijuana dealer, played by James Franco, in jeopardy after Rogen witnesses a murder. The unrelenting, random gunplay and violence lead to, among other things, Rogen throwing up on Franco’s computer printer.
No. 2: “Dazed and Confused” (1998)
Matthew McConaughey is part of a circle of small-town youth who argue about aliens and play way too much Aerosmith. McConaughey’s advice: “You just got to keep on living, man. L-i-v-i-n.”
No. 1: “The Big Lebowski” (1998)
The convoluted story about a kidnapping and two thugs who pee on Jeff Bridge’s rug is the narrative behind Rolling Stone’s top stoner movie. One of its famous lines — “Do you see what happens when you f*** a stranger in the a**!?” – was classically neutered for TV as “Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps!?”
What classic stoner movie is missing? Write us at [email protected].
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— Story Filed By 420CanNews Staff
Here’s More Information on the Topic:
A Profile on the Success of Houseplant
https://www.collater.al/en/houseplant-seth-rogen-brand-product-design/
Time Magazine Discusses the Success of the Movie, “Neighbors.”
https://time.com/95857/seth-rogen-bio-comedy-neighbors/
Rolling Stone’s Top Stoner Movies
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-lists/10-best-stoner-movies-of-all-time-45850/
